Acupuncture

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Watery eyes and stuffy noses are seasonal martyrdom for millions of allergy sufferers around the globe, but now a German study finds that some help may come from an unlikely source - acupuncture. Researchers, publishing in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that 71 percent of people reported an improvement in their allergies after eight weeks of acupuncture. But so did 56 percent of allergy sufferers who were treated with sham...

Scientists derided research published on Tuesday that suggested ear acupuncture may help people lose weight, saying the study's design was flawed and its conclusions highly implausible. Responding to the findings of research published online in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine, experts not involved in the work said it was unreliable and probably a waste of money. "It is hard to think of a treatment that is less plausible than ear acupuncture," said Edzard...

It may not happen the next time you visit your doctor in distress. But some day soon, you could walk away with an appointment for acupuncture. After generations of skepticism--if not downright sneering--from the medical establishment, a respected National Institutes of Health panel has endorsed the 2,500-year-old Chinese healing art as an effective treatment for some types of pain, nausea and a range of other health problems. And acupuncture, unlike many drugs, has virtually no side effects.

People with depression may benefit as much from acupuncture as they do from counseling, suggests a new study. Researchers found one in three patients was no longer depressed after three months of acupuncture or counseling, compared to one in five who received neither treatment. "For people who have depression, who have tried various medical options, who are still not getting the benefit they want, they should try acupuncture or counseling as options that are now...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Acupuncture may help relieve chronic back, joint and shoulder pain, according to a new review of the evidence - but some of its benefit is likely due to the "placebo effect," researchers concluded. In an analysis of 29 studies, they found people who got acupuncture typically reported more pain relief than those who didn't. But patients treated with fake or "sham" acupuncture - using retracting needles that don't stick in the skin, for example...

Of the countless painful decisions surrounding a loved one's end-of-life care, among the trickiest is how to provide physical comfort in a way that also provides a dignified ending. "For end of life, the opioids are very important for pain management, but they do leave people very sedated," says researcher and physician Josephine Briggs, who heads the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. "Some people are looking for adjuncts to help with that.

The trouble began in early January 2012, when Hershey, my then nearly 11-year-old chocolate Lab, developed the first in a series of urinary tract infections. Eventually, the problem worsened to include full-blown incontinence, with Hershey waking up in a puddle two or three mornings a week. If dogs can be embarrassed, my dog must have been mortified. I was certainly getting weary of laundering her doggy bed, but I assumed this was a consequence of having an older dog. My...

The trouble began in early January 2012, when Hershey, my then nearly 11-year-old chocolate Lab, developed the first in a series of urinary tract infections. Eventually, the problem worsened to include full-blown incontinence, with Hershey waking up in a puddle two or three mornings a week. If dogs can be embarrassed, my dog must have been mortified. I was certainly getting weary of laundering her doggy bed, but I assumed this was a consequence of having an older dog. My...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Three months of acupuncture improved breathing problems in people with chronic lung disease, in a new study from Japan. According to one researcher, the benefits seen with the alternative treatment were on par with, or better than, what's been shown for conventional drugs and exercises used to treat the disease. But the study was small, he added, and more research will be needed to convince doctors and policymakers of acupuncture's usefulness. ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Acupuncture may help improve seasonal allergy symptoms in some people with runny noses and watery eyes, according to a new study - but the effect seems to be small. Researchers found 71 percent of people reported an improvement in their allergies after eight weeks of acupuncture. But so did 56 percent of allergy sufferers who were treated with sham acupuncture instead as a comparison. "It works, but there are a couple of caveats (for) people...

People with depression may benefit as much from acupuncture as they do from counseling, suggests a new study. Researchers found one in three patients was no longer depressed after three months of acupuncture or counseling, compared to one in five who received neither treatment. "For people who have depression, who have tried various medical options, who are still not getting the benefit they want, they should try acupuncture or counseling as options that are now...

Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte went through acupuncture-like treatments this week to get ready to start Sunday in a must-win game. Forte left last Sunday's victory over the Cardinals with a sprained right ankle in the third quarter but he practiced for the second consecutive day Friday in the Walter Payton Center and is expected to start against the Lions at Ford Field. Forte rushed for 88 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries at Arizona before he had the ankle twisted for...

Pain can be debilitating, interfering with the ability to sleep, work, and enjoy life. It can aggravate other health conditions and lead to depression and anxiety symptoms. Relieving it often requires a trial-and-error approach that embraces the whole person, not just the source, which can't always be identified clearly. Many people find it useful to choose from a menu of different pain treatments and remedies, combining them in a regimen that fits their lifestyles. In...

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Meningitis outbreak spreads to 19 states with case in Rhode Island 2012-10-29T191817Z_3_BRE89S10A_RTROPTC_0_US-USA-HEALTH-MENINGIT IS-CASES.XML () - Slimmer future for heavy kids who get help early NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Weight-loss programs can help even very young children slim down, and it appears that acting early may improve the odds of success, according to a pair of new studies. "What they are showing is a pretty...

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Acupuncture may help relieve fatigue in women who have had breast cancer, as well as easing anxiety, depression and quality of life, according to a UK study. Cancer and cancer treatments can cause chronic pain, psychological stress and anemia, all of which contribute to fatigue. In addition, people who are nauseated after chemo might not be getting the most nutritious diet for maintaining energy levels. For the research, which appeared...